Snowed In [#JustWriteIt]

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO~

"Let me explain my tradition to you," Dion said. "Okay, during the seven days before Christmas, I always do one or two things each day to prepare for the twenty fifth. You'll find out what my list is as we pass the days. The first on our list of things to do is make gingerbread houses!" Dion shouted.

Sydney felt a spark of excitement fly through her. She loved gingerbread. It was her favourite food and she always made sure to eat plenty around the holidays since she rarely got to eat it during the year.

"Really?"

"I was up at four in the morning, trying to make enough gingerbread cookie," Dion replied seriously.

He extended a hand and pulled Sydney off her seat. He led her into the kitchen behind the counter. Sydney examined her surroundings as she breathed in the smell of gingerbread. She had never seen the back kitchen before but she had heard the horror stories. So she was pleasantly surprised to see the clean state of Sugar Sweet's kitchen. Only one table was occupied and that was the table Dion led her to. The table was littered with different baking utensils and decorating materials. There were countless bowls of candy lined along the back of the table and three big mixing bowls filled with white icing sitting in one corner. Two bottles of red and green food colouring lay in front of the icing bowl.

"How many houses were you planning to make?" Sydney asked incredulously as she examined the unhealthy amount of candy.

"Two? Maybe three if I have enough gingerbread to do that." Dion murmured as he headed to the oven and pulled open the oven door. The scent of gingerbread intensified and Sydney's mouth watered. She did not want to wait for the decorating process to be finished, she just wanted to take a cookie and eat it plain.

Dion pulled out a tray and placed it on a table. Sydney's mouth dropped. A single wall was enormous. It was as big as four letter sized papers stuck together.

"Do you plan on eating these houses?" she asked.

Dion laughed at her shocked expression. "Of course! It takes a while but we always manage to finish it in the end. You've been to our annual Christmas celebrations, you know we finish the houses. People love gingerbread."

"Wait... you mean... you make those houses by hand?" Sydney demanded as she envisioned the huge gingerbread houses she always saw when she attended the Christmas party. She remembered the intricate icing job and the layers of carefully placed candies. Those could not be homemade. She did not want to believe that.

"Yup. They're called The Annual Gallenger Christmas Houses. My sister, Kaila, and I make one house and my parents decorate the other one. Since they aren't here right now we'll have to do it ourselves."

"But they look so professional! I thought you guys bought those!" Sydney exclaimed, completely glossing over his last sentence.

"Nah, they're all homemade," Dion said as he paused to face Sydney. "And this year, you're going to help."

Sydney shook her head wildly and held up her hands defensively. "No. No way. I'll butcher the house."

"If you butcher one of The Annual Gallenger Gingerbread Houses, I'll butcher you." Dion said matter-of-factly. When Sydney only stared at him in shock, his serious face shifted to a smiley expression again. "I'm kidding. You have me to help you!" Dion chirped. "I'll teach you how to make a fabulous house. Never fear Syd, you'll never be making ugly houses ever again!" He laughed and Sydney knew he was referencing the little gingerbread house she had made in one of their shared high school nutrition classes as few years back.